Chapter 1

Thud.

"O-ow…" Jasil rubbed the back of her head, slowly opening her eyes and staring up at the straw roof. She groaned, sitting up beside her bed from which she fell, yawning and drowsily looking around the pale white hut. The sunlight poured into the room, making her squint as she looked outside to the grassy plains and blue sky.

The door slammed open. "Jasil! Haven't you woken up yet? You've been sleeping for 10hours already!" Jasil turned her attention to the door, the figure of a young man and two children blocking the sunlight. "Ah… Alim!" Jasil smiled as the two children ran towards her, smiling and squealing. "Rahi, Mahir! Good Morning everyone."

"Jasil! Come help us with the food! It's time to cook lunch!" Rahi, who was a small blonde girl with brown eyes grinned eagerly. "No! Help us collect firewood for tonight's festival instead!" Mahir, the young boy exclaimed, shooting his tounge out at Rahi who glared back. Mahir was two years older than Rahi, but still acted like he was the younger of the two.

Jasil smiled, putting her hand on the two of their heads. "How about, I'll help Rahi first, then collect word with Mahir after?" Rahi's eyes lit up with happiness, while Mahir stomped his feet and whined. "That's not fair, how come she gets to have you first!" he exclaimed. Jasil looked up, putting a finger to her chin before replying. "Well, we won't get very far looking for firewood with empty stomachs. We'll probably end up coming back before we have enough wood. If we eat now, we'll have the strength to carry more bundles of wood, and have a bigger festival tonight."

Mahir thought carefully, then nodded. "Yeah that's a good idea! I give you permission to go along with this plan, my subordinate!" He grinned brightly. "Subordinate…?" Jasil smiled faintly, wondering where he got that idea. Rahi tugged on Jasil's shirt. "No fair, I thought you were MY subordinate!" She whined.

Just as Jasil was about to speak, a fist came down on both of the children's head, bonking them. They both groaned simultaneously. "You two… if you don't get to your chores right now," He pointed a finger at Rahi. "I'll eat YOU for lunch," his hand moved over to Mahir. "And use the firewood you collect to burn you alive!" He boomed. Rahi and Mahir squealed and ran out of the hut, holding their throbbing heads.

"Geeze…" Alim groaned, rubbing his head, then looked down at Jasil. "And YOU," He placed his hands on his hips, closing in on Jasil. "If you keep letting them do what they want like that, they'll treat you like an object forever!" Jasil laughed, rubbing her head and looking up at him guiltily. "I guess you're right, but they're only children, so it's alright for now, as I recall, you used to be like Mahir when you were growing up!"

Alim's face began to grow red as he remembered growing up with Jasil. "T-That's not the point here!" He squirmed. Alim was the person who found Jasil when he was young in the forest. He was the first person she ever came into contact with. Seeing as she had no family and no place to go, he brought her back to his village, and his mother took care of them both until she passed from an incurable illness three years ago.

Smiling, Jasil tilted her head to the side. "I'll be out in a bit, give me a minute?" Alim grimaced, his cheeks still slightly flushed as he turned around. "Five minutes! Then we need you to help prepare lunch!" He said, exiting the room and shutting the door. As soon as he left, the hut fell quiet. Jasil laid back on the floor, staring at the ceiling, remembering the dream she just had. She smiled, holding her hand to her chest. "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten."

Exiting the hut, Jasil headed towards the center of the village, people were bustling around. Everyone was like a big happy family, running and playing, they all lived life together happily, not disturbing anyone around them. Seeing the endless smiles on everyone's face brought Jasil the most joy, ever since she was little, all she needed was to see others happy, and she was content. I guess I get that from you, huh Solomon? She thought as she approached the place where they cooked meals for the entire village.

Rahi ran to Jasil, grabbing her hand and pulling her. "Come, come! Help me chop the cabbages! We're having stew today!" She giggled. Stew was Rahi's favorite, especially when the elder used her "secret ingredient". Of course, it was only a secret to the children; all the adults knew it was just plain old honey.

After cooking lunch, the village elder Maysa approached Jasil. "I thought you were never going to wake, my dear." She smiled sweetly, while Jasil gave a shy smile. "Sorry Maysa, I just had a really long dream is all. I'll help with the firewood for the festival tonight." Maysa nodded. "Yes, we're all looking forward to dusk; this will be the biggest festival yet!" Jasil nodded, looking determined, then, Jasil gasped. "Oh, I forgot, I made this for you!"

She held out a hand-sewn scarf to Maya, its blue fabric matched that of the sky. "Winter is coming soon, and I thought you'd need to stay warm." Maya took the scarf from her hands, and held it close to her chest. "It's beautiful." Just as Maya was about to speak again, Mahir tumbled and crashed into Jasil, knocking her over.

"Argh!" Jasil groaned, looking up at Mahir who grinned at her. "Jasil! Firewood time!" He exclaimed, dragging her into the forest before she could protest. "Come back before dusk, that's when the festival starts!" Rahi waved along with Maya and a few other villagers, who were giggling at the sight.

Quite a few hours had passed, and the sun had begun to lower in the sky. Jasil and Mahir were drenched in sweat, their backs stacked high with branches and sticks they had collected. Mahir sighed, exhausted, then wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I think that's all I can carry, good work! I knew I could count on my subordinate!" he grinned brightly, and Jasil returned the smile.

"I think I can collect a few more branches, why don't you head back first?" Jasil suggested, as Mahir nodded. "Good suggestion, but don't take too long, or I'll tell everyone to start without you, after all, a king waits for no subordinate!" He said matter-of-factly. Jasil giggled, nodding, then saluting. "Yes, sir!" They both shared a laugh and she waved as he disappeared into the forest.

After she was sure he had left the area, she exhaled, then placed her hand out to the forest, closing her eyes and exhaling, feeling the life all around her, within a few moments, the Rukh began to surround her, swirling and brushing against her skin like the wind. She smiled, "I missed you too!" She giggled, stretching out her hands and holding a few, fluttering Rukh in her hand.

Just then, she felt a sharp pain pierce through her head, she closed her eyes and yelped. "Argh! W-what the hell?" she mumbled, rubbing her head for a moment, before he eyes snapped open. She stared at the Rukh who were swarming her. "Help! Somebody!" the Rukh seemed to be transmitting a message to her.

Jasil looked up into the sky, seeing the now dark night illuminated by the flames from the village. "W-what the hell? When did it become so dark? It should still be at least an hour before the sun sets!" She gasped, running headfirst into the forest, the Rukh following close behind her and still swarming. She felt her heart lurching inside her chest, as her feet smacked against the hard dirt.

She burst through the forest, branches whipping against her face and legs, leaving her with cuts, but she didn't care. As she neared the village, the smell of burning flesh and blood poured into her senses, her heart rate increased as the flames danced higher in front of her. After what seemed to be an eternity, she broke free from the grasp of the forest; unto a scene of annihilation.

Her eyes filled with horror as she gazed upon her once peaceful village, now a battleground. The bodies of her friends and family covered the ground, horses and swords clashed, the sound of battle echoing in the air. Stunned, she stood still, witnessing war for the first time in her life. The sound of hooves approached her quickly. Jasil turned her head, the body of a horse, and the blade of a man swinging towards her was all she had time to register.

She closed her eyes, bringing her arms up to shield her, as the sound of flesh ripping filled her ears. She waited for the pain, but it didn't come. W-what? Slowly opening her eyes, horror dawned upon her, as the face of Alim came into view, his eyes were empty, and his life was gone as his body fell upon hers. She screamed at the sight of his lifeless body, crawling out from under it, then looking up at the horseman, who swung his sword down a second time.

This time, she heard a loud clang as her Borg shot up, shielding her. The horseman pulled back. "What the fuck? You're a magician?!" He exclaimed, bewildered. Using the surprise to her advantage, Jasil stood up and sprinted past countless houses. "Hey!" The soldier yelled, galloping after her. "Stop her!" Tears poured down her face, and her heart felt crushed. No, no, no! Wake up, Wake up! It's not real! Metal smashed against metal, as she ran to the area where she had just had lunch with everyone only a few hours ago.

Bodies were piled high in the air, engulfed in flame, and at the very top of that pile, were the faces of the two children, and the elder. Hearing her heart shatter for the second time, she wailed, screaming and crying as reality set in. "It's not a dream, it's not a fucking dream!" She screamed drawing the attention of nearby soldiers. "There she is, get the magician! Capture her!" They all advanced in her direction, and she fled, running as fast as she could to escape the horrors that now lie behind her.

Jasil began dodging the soldiers, using shortcuts in the village only residents knew about to get them off of her trail. When she finally lost all of the soldiers, she ran to her hut, climbing in through the window. She threw herself under the bed and pulled out a large chest. Tears blurred her vision. "I need the power, I need it NOW Solomon!" She whimpered, rummaging through her chest to find her staff.

It was the size of her finger, she had shrunk it down to keep the children from playing with it. I need to hide this. She thought, sliding it behind her ear into her hair like a pin. Despair and pain filled her heart, and she wept silently, thinking about the faces of the ones she loved and held so dearly. Alim... Maysa, Mahir, Rahi… I'm so sorry! I couldn't protect you!

Jasil continued rummaging through the chest, also finding a dagger, she held it tightly before pushing the chest back under the bed just as the huts began to collapse. The sound jolted her from her depression. "Now is not the time for this, I have to get out of here!" She stood and ran to the window, pushing her self out of it- Just as the roof from the hut collapses, falling down upon her and knocking her unconscious.